The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus of weather sealing joints between common adjacently jointed building panels to prevent water intrusion from the exterior into the interior of said joints. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus of applying a resilient joint capping member upon an existing or new jointed building panel structure without the need to first prepare, modify or alter the joint, in order to enhance appearance, integrity and resistance to water permeability such that exterior water is prevented from reaching potentially leak prone joints from which it could subsequently penetrate to the interior of the structure.
The background of the invention, as discussed below, focuses on adjacently joined window panels. However, it should be understood, of course, that the limitations, problems and techniques discussed herein apply to all types of conventional adjacently joined building panel products, such as curtain panel walls, paneled roofing, and the like. As such, the discussion of adjacently joined window panels should not be construed as a limitation, but rather as a simplified explanation of the background of the invention which applies to all conventional adjacently joined building panel products and materials.
Many buildings and architectural designs now incorporate the usage of a plurality of adjacently jointed window panels in order to achieve a desired aesthetic goal while further enhancing the amount of incoming natural light and xe2x80x9copennessxe2x80x9d appearance of the interior of the building. For example, this technique can be witnessed in the construction and utilization of atrium skylights, glass window walls, and the like, all of which achieve their intended goal by utilizing numerous glass panels adjacently connected together.
Inherent with the usage of numerous adjacently jointed window panels, intersections between such panels are ubiquitous. The construction of these joints, however, must allow some flexibility and resiliency. For example, the joining technique used must allow the adjoined panels to naturally expand and contract due to temperature variations, as well as allow minute flexible movement due to building settlement and the like. Conventionally, multiple windows of such a configuration are connected using window mullions. These mullions interactively allow two adjacently connected window panels to be structurally joined together without the need of requiring connection apertures, such as screw holes, within the window panels, which would subsequently decrease the structural integrity of such window panels, introduce added locations of water permeation, and increase installation and material costs.
As such, conventional window mullions employ a technique that utilizes a bottom plate portion and a top plate portion between two adjacently joined window panels. The top and bottom plate portions are fixedly connected together and subsequently sandwich the windows together, typically with a threaded screwing means, which uses compression mechanics to ensure a structurally sound connection. Typically, where the mullion meets the window glass surface, resilient gaskets or other sealing membranes are utilized to ensure a weather-tight seal. Furthermore, it is also quite frequent that the installation laborers will enhance the weather-sealing performance of the mullion by manually applying, in a liquid form, a resilient elastomeric sealant, such as an RTV silicone polymer, at the window panel joint line and/or where the mullion supports the window panel surface.
However, inherent with such weather-sealing installation techniques, the initial seal integrity and quality is dependent upon field workmanship. Since field quality integrity is almost always impossible to ensure due to lack of adequate supervision and unpredictable installation techniques, the installed seals are generally prone to varying installation errors. These errors may range from inadequate preparation of the surface, improper application of the sealant, incorrect type of sealant, and the like. Furthermore, even if the initial weather-seal and mullion were properly installed, the seal material itself is relentlessly beleaguered by natural elements, such as rain, snow, freezing, ultra-violet radiation from sunlight, minute building movements and settlement, environmental contaminants, and the constant expansion and contraction of the adjacent window panels themselves. Also, the mullion outside surface is subjected to the same weather elements, and, as such, frequently corrodes and requires replacement or frequent maintenance due to drastically decreased structural integrity and unfavorable appearance. As such, it is inevitable that the mullion gaskets and seals, as well as the mullion outside surface, will eventually fail, thus causing water leakage and related problems. The only way to prevent such failures is to implement frequent joint repairs or to address the issue when such a leakage problem arises.
Frequently, such joint repairs require another manual application of liquid elastomeric sealant at the joint line and where the mullion supports the glass panel surface. However, as can be evidenced from above, this solution is short lived and will once again have to be re-done in the near future. Furthermore, the mullions themselves, also needing frequent maintenance, need to be repainted to protect them from environmental and weather elements. As such, especially since this technique of maintenance is labor intensive and quite repetitive, it is often quite expensive and does not solve the problem.
The present invention overcomes these limitations by providing an easily installable mullion and joint resilient protective cap, which negates the need to repaint and/or reseal the mullion and joint. The present invention is also a longer-term solution when compared to the conventional technique of re-sealing all of the window panel joints. Furthermore, the resilient cap, being placed on top of the existing mullion and joint seal structure elements, protects the mullion from further environmental damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,524, to Ting, issued on Nov. 18, 1997 (""524), discloses an apparatus for sealing the intersecting panel joints of building surfaces. The ""524 patent is a multiple element system which ensures a weather-tight seal around the building panel joints. An inner member must first be fixedly attached to the joint location as well as be weather-sealed to ensure a water-tight seal. As disclosed in the ""524 patent, the inner member is bolted to the joint using the existing joint connection device. The inner member further contains a plurality of upwardly protruding vertical legs with inwardly angled edges, which will act as the mating surface to the later applied outer member. An outer member, in the form of the protective joint cap and with a plurality of downwardly protruding vertical legs spaced apart approximately the same distance as the inner member vertical legs, is attached to the inner member by a snapping mechanism. The ""524 patent further discloses an optional sealant which may be applied to the portion where the outer member intersects the surface of the building panel. This optional sealant enhances the apparatus"" ability to provide a water-tight seal. However, a limitation to the ""524 patent is the requirement of a multiple member system. The process of fixedly attaching an inner member to the joint connection is time consuming and within a window panel environment connected by conventional window mullions, is dangerous. The present invention overcomes these limitations by, for example, not requiring a multiple member installation. Furthermore, the present invention does not require any type of fixedly attached anchoring system, which must first be installed prior to the protective cap installation, thus not requiring modification of the existing joint structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,999, to Berg, issued on Sep. 19, 1967 (""999), discloses an arrangement for installing battens on paneled roofs and walls. The ""999 patent consists of a batten, acting as a joint cap, with a cross-sectional contour in the shape of an arch with pier portions turned inward in order to form guide strips. Furthermore, a batten holder, in the shape of a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d and being designed to readily receive the guide stripes of the batten, must first be fixedly attached to the desired joint location using the disclosed attachment device. The batten is then attached to the batten holder via the guide strips. A limitation of the ""999 patent is that the batten holders must first be fixedly attached to the joint location. As with the ""524 patent, this process is not readily useful in existing window joint weather-sealing applications, as such a process is dangerous and labor intensive. Furthermore, the ""999 patent apparatus is not resilient by nature. As such, the ""999 apparatus is more susceptible to future failure due to environmental elements as well as the natural expansion and contraction mechanics of glass panels. Lastly, the ""999 patent does not provide a water-tight weather seal where the batten legs meet the surface of the jointed panels. As such, water can easily seep between the batten and panel surface intersection, thus eventually reaching the protected joint. The present invention overcomes these limitations by, for example, readily applying the weather-sealing protective cap directly to the surface of the adjacent glass panels without the need to modify the joints with an additional mounting element. As such, since the present invention is a unified, one-piece unit, its integrity is greatly enhanced wherein the possibility of functional failure is greatly decreased. Furthermore, the present invention is preferably resilient, thus being more readily adaptable to varying weather related conditions, as well as inherent adjacent glass panel movements. Lastly, the present invention provides a water-tight seal where the protective joint cap intersects with the surface of the jointed panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,886, to Thom, issued on Feb. 11, 1975 (""886), discloses a cover assembly for structural joints. The ""886 patented apparatus requires an anchoring device, which readily receives the protective cap cover, to be fixedly attached to one of the jointed panel members. A xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped protective cap cover, with a protruding middle portion, then is attached to the anchoring device, preferably using spring clips via the protruding middle portion. The end portions of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped protective cap member, which intersect the surfaces of the panel members, has a resilient material applied at the surface intersection location to ensure weather-proofing capabilities. A limitation of ""886 patent is that it is once again a multiple member system with an anchoring member which must be fixedly attached to at least one jointed panel surface. The present invention overcomes this limitation by, for example, not requiring an independent anchoring member that must be fixedly attached to at least one of the jointed panel surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,162, to Nicholas, issued on Nov. 9, 1993 (""162), discloses a multi-functional wall cover for architectural joints. The ""162 patent utilizes a single element joint protective cap which is fixedly attached to the surface of at least one of the adjacent jointed panels. Alternately, the protective cap can be held in place by utilizing an attachment device, which uses a compression force within the joint between the jointed panels to enhance stability. The protective cap further intersects the surfaces of the adjacent panels with a resilient material in order to enhance water-proofing. A limitation of the ""162 patent is it requires that at least one aperture be retained for mounting purposes. As such, this aperture decreases the water-proofing integrity of the capping system by introducing yet another location where water seepage may occur. Furthermore, the protective cap must be fixedly attached to at least one of the adjacent jointed panel surfaces. The present invention overcomes these limitations by, for example, not requiring the protective cap to be fixedly attached to one of the jointed panels. Furthermore, the present invention does not have any aperture located on its surface that can present a location of future water seepage.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and/or shortcomings of known prior art jointed panel protective caps and provides a significant improvement thereover.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an effective and economical method and apparatus for water-sealing jointed panel building materials without the undue burden and expense of requiring highly skilled laborers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a protective joint cap member which does not necessitate any type of existing joint modification or alteration.
It is a further object of the present invention to utilize a one-element system which subsequently enhances the water-sealing integrity and reliability of the jointed seal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a protective joint cap apparatus which can be applied without being connectively attached with an independent anchoring device to the surface of any jointed panel member.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a protective joint cap member which is resilient enough to be usable in varying weather conditions and yet allow the natural movements of the expansion and contraction processes of building materials while still maintaining its sealing and structural integrity.
The present invention is a joint protective cap intended to be applied along the joint of jointed adjacent panel building materials. The protective cap is applied as a single unit, which does not require an independent anchoring member or any type of modifications to the sealed joint itself. The present invention is constructed preferably of a resilient elastomeric material, which enhances its integrity and allows for expansion and contraction of the jointed panels without affecting the protective caps operation and integrity.
The present invention is preferably cross-sectionally shaped in an inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d configuration wherein the end of each independent leg portion is turned, in a preferably outward direction, in order to form two independent protrusions which are perpendicular to said leg portions. Furthermore, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has a plurality of downwardly protruding resilient members located approximately in the middle of the inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d configuration. It is intended that these protruding resilient members will provide an enhanced water sealant around any protruding bolts or attachment devices which may be present within the jointed system. The present invention thus completely covers the joint, with any existing joint system left in place, without the need for further preparation to the joint system, and provides a water-tight seal where the outwardly extended leg portions intersects the surface of the jointed building panels, preferably with a resilient sealant, such as a liquified elastomeric sealant.
The present invention is preferably utilized in a multiple jointed glass panel application, such as a multi-paneled sunroof or a glass wall; however, its useful application can be applied to all conventional panel building materials, such as paneled curtain walls, paneled roofs and the like. The present invention can either be installed during the initial construction and jointing of the paneled building materials or it is preferably installed as a maintenance application to existing joints and joint systems. Since the present invention does not require any type of existing joint system modification or extensive jointed panel surface preparation, the present invention provides an effective and cost efficient maintenance application for existing jointed seals.